


reach for my hand

by Manateequeem



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, M/M, Opposite Sides of the War, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:28:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23065486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manateequeem/pseuds/Manateequeem
Summary: It always happened by the light of the moon; Caspar would reach his hand out towards Linhardt, and in turn, Linhardt would push him away
Relationships: Caspar von Bergliez/Linhardt von Hevring
Comments: 30
Kudos: 125





	reach for my hand

**Author's Note:**

> update 15/03/20: PLEASE CHECK OUT @_alayyae's wonderful art included at the end of the fic!!  
> https://twitter.com/__alayyae/status/1239185258613858306

Linhardt felt something small tugging at the back of his nightshirt, shallow breath at his back whispering his name to wake him. He mumbled something incomprehensible, rolling over with a furrow between his brows and slapping the hand away from him.

“Lin- “, the voice persisted and Linhardt’s frown deepened as he felt himself waking up from his previously peaceful slumber, “ _Linhardt.”_

“Cas,” Linhardt grumbled, words slurring together from fatigue, “Shut up, ‘m trying to sleep.”

He could hear the sheets ruffling as Caspar turned around, having given up on pestering Linhardt for now- and just like that, there was silence. Just how Linhardt liked it. He could feel the warm embrace of sleep wrapping him up once more before something which sounded far too close to a _sniffle_ violently shoved him awake once more.

Linhardt cracked one eyelid open, and with a long, purposefully drawn out sigh asked, “Caspar, why are you crying?”

The duvet wriggled as the other eight-year-old beside Linhardt wiped at his cheeks frantically, “Am not.” He replied stubbornly.

“Are too.” He responded easily, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he sat up in the bed, propping his pillow up behind him so he could at least sit comfortably, if he had to be up at such an ungodly hour. It was probably be nearing 2 a.m., his father would _never_ let them both have another sleep-over again if he knew the two were up so late. _Or was it early?_ Linhardt contemplated. Caspar’s small hand grasping at his own softer one broke him out of his thoughts.

“Okay, maybe I am crying.” Caspar sniffled, facing Linhardt again. His eyes began to adjust to the darkness, and he could see tear streaks lining Caspar’s cheeks. He must have been crying for some time now.

“Do you want to tell me why?” he yawned into his palm, speaking again when Caspar remained silent “I’d be perfectly happy to go back to sleep if you have nothing to tell me.” He pulled the duvet up close to his chin, as if to prove his integrity.

“I’ll tell you!” Caspar insisted. He took in a deep breath, composing himself before he began, “I had a nightmare, a-and- “, he shook his head, tears forming at the corners of his eyes again. Linhardt tightened his hold around Caspar’s hand, large and intrigued eyes urging the other to continue. “It was a dream where we had to fight each other and _I killed you_ and I was so, so _afraid._ “

“That would never happen.” Linhardt assured the other immediately. He was sure of it, no matter what happened, he would make sure the two of them never fought. Sure, Count Bergliez would sometimes force them to spar- much to Linhardt’s dismay- but it would never reach the point where they’d have to _kill_ each other. That would be unthinkable, Linhardt shuddered even imagining it.

“How d’you know?” Caspar spoke quietly.

How _did he_ know? He wanted to tell Caspar that he just knew, but that wouldn’t be enough to comfort the other. He hummed in thought, “Well, I’m clever, aren’t I?”

Caspar nodded fervently, “The cleverest.”

“So, I just know these sorts of things. Besides, we’re both from the Empire. I don’t think a time will ever come when we’ll be in a situation when we have to fight.” Linhardt concluded confidently.

“You’re right! I’d never kill you, and if there ever was a big fight, we’d be like- the best battle duo ever!” Caspar agreed, a wide grin replacing the frown on his face mere moments ago. He wiped the last of the tears off his face, settling back under the covers, still keeping his hand wrapped firmly around Linhardt’s. “Thanks Lin, you’re the best.”

Linhardt was already falling asleep, words coming out incoherent, “I know. G’night Caspar.”

“Night.”

Linhardt was sure of it, they would never have to face each other.

* * *

By the time Edelgard had declared war on the Church of Seiros, everything had changed.

“Lin- come with me. You don’t have to side with them.” Caspar outstretched his hand, the cinders of Garreg Mach framing his form cruelly, flames casting stark shadows on his face, aging him even more than this brewing war already had. Linhardt wanted to laugh; Caspar never did outgrow his hopeful disposition, always speaking of the best-case scenario- of a word where Linhardt wasn’t pinned down by his responsibilities he so desperately wished to run away from. Leaving the Empire wasn’t simply a choice he could make.

“You know I can’t do that.” He smiled sadly, the foul stench of burning corpses filling his nostrils, “It would just end in both of our inevitable murders- “

“-You don’t know that!” Caspar interjected, dragging his rusting axe through the thick unearthed mud.

“Caspar, we both know I’m right, loathe as I do to admit it.” He could see Dorothea struggling to pull Bernadetta to her feet from the corner of his eye, “At least if you go now- _alone_ ,” he added with a satiric upturn of his lips at Caspar’s attempt to interrupt again, “at least each of us has a slightly higher chance of surviving. I would only hold you back if we were to escape together. Perhaps you could ask Dimitri to join his army, although, I’m not sure if he’s even in charge of the Kingdom army or if there will be one at all.” He rambled, mostly talking to himself.

Caspar furrowed his brow, fist tightening around the deep wound tearing through his right arm, “If I were to join the Kingdom, to oppose the Empire like that...” Linhardt watched silently as the Caspar’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, composing himself, “that would be the same as going against you, Lin. I don’t want to fight you! But I can’t fight for this side either, I- “

“It’s fine, I doubt we’d have to face each other anyway,” Linhardt lied through his teeth- he knew fully well how he and Caspar were bound to be generals of opposing armies, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell Caspar that, it would only further entangle the chains dragging them down, “the chances of us having to...”

“To kill each other- “

Linhardt nodded, mustering up the last morsel of faith magic he could find to heal up the gash on Caspar’s arm as best as he could, “the chances of _that_ happening- ever so slim. Don’t worry about that, Caspar. All you and I need to worry about is staying alive so that next time we meet each other, it will be when this dreaded...conflict is over.” Linhardt hesitated, he didn’t want to call it a war, it would only make this whole ordeal less in the realm of nightmares and more grounded within the reality which they would both soon have to come to terms with. “Smile, won’t you?” he patted Caspar’s shoulder, fingertips lingering on the embossed scars, “Let me see that big grin of yours one last time.”

“You make it sound like it’ll be the last time. You can’t undo the thread that ties us that easily, Lin. This little war- it’s nothing we can’t handle. We promised we’d never fight after all, right?” Linhardt noticed that he was smiling just as asked, as infectious as always, only this time laced with more pain than Linhardt had ever seen tainting Caspar’s expression before. Soon enough there were heavy teardrops forming yet refusing to fall.

 _“Caspar_ \- “, Linhardt’s heart broke as he watched his friend rub his filthy sleeves across his eyes. It was unsanitary, dreadfully so, but neither of them had time to worry about that sort of thing anymore.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” He sniffled, he clearly wasn’t fine, “just- stay safe, okay?”

“I should tell you the same.” Linhardt smiled. “Maybe next time we meet you’ll finally hit that growth spurt you’re always on about.”

Caspar pulled Linhardt into a tight, shaky embrace before they parted ways.

* * *

“Caspar?” Linhardt whispered into the silent winter air, moonlight gently falling upon him as he wandered further into the sprawling forest searching for his friend. “Caspar, are you here?”

“Linhardt!” he heard the other practically cheered as he wrapped warm arms around Linhardt’s shoulders, pulling him into an embrace, arms reaching from higher up than Linhardt remembered.

Linhardt tried to ignore the fluttering in his chest as he shushed Caspar, pushing disruptive feelings down where they wouldn’t get in the way of a war effort, “Quiet, someone might hear us.”

“Oh right, sorry.” Caspar replied sheepishly, pulling away with an almost shy laugh. It was dark out, but by the light of the moon and the stars Linhardt could make out Caspar’s form, starkly different from the scrawny boy he knew before the war had begun. His shoulders had filled out, his jawline sharpened and while he wasn’t as tall as Linhardt, he did come awfully close, having hit that growth spurt that he had promised. “As soon as I got your letter, I knew I had to see you.” Caspar was out of breath, cheeks tinted pink as puffs of warm air left his mouth, “I just hope Dimitri or Edelgard don’t find out about this...”

“They won’t.” Linhardt reassured him, taking Caspar’s larger hand and rubbing soothing circles into the taut skin. “I planned this meeting so we wouldn’t run into anyone, so try not to worry too much.” Linhardt hummed, “Unless Jeritza’s about- he does like walking around late at ni- “

“Enough about him!” Caspar interrupted, “We don’t have long together, right?” Linhardt shook his head solemnly, “Right... I have something I wanted to tell you- something I’ve realised over the past five years. I know that nothing might come of it, but I can’t keep it inside any longer. I don’t even know if we’ll get to see each other again but I’ve had some time to think, you know? All those hours I spent recovering in the infirmary got me thinking about you, all the times you used to heal me up without me having to ask and how much I- “

Linhardt knew where this was going, anyone could tell from one look at Caspar’s flushed cheeks and the way he was desperately clutching onto Linhardt’s hands for dear life, even the deep longing within his eyes- they all portrayed the same message. Caspar was as desperately in love with Linhardt as Linhardt was with him.

But that was the issue, it was hopeless, impractical, _impossible_. It would just lead to meaningless heartbreak for the both of them. If Linhardt could avoid shattering either of their hearts through suffering temporary pain and awkwardness, he would do it.

“Caspar, don- “

“ _I love you_ \- “

“ _Quiet!_ ” Linhardt shushed the other, placing his hand over Caspar’s mouth. Caspar’s eyes were filled with shock as Linhardt dragged him back, both toppling over each other into a bush, sharp branches poking at their sides.

“What’d you do that for?” He asked once Linhardt had removed his hand. There was hurt written all over Caspar’s face. Linhardt felt a twang of pain hit his abdomen, not the work of the shrubbery poking harshly at his sides, but instead it was something akin to guilt.

“ _Quiet.”_ Linhardt hissed instead _. “There’s someone there.”_ He whispered once Caspar nodded.

“ _I thought you said no one would be around!”_ Caspar spoke in a hushed shout.

“ _I did warn you about Jeritza, didn’t I?”_ Linhardt held his finger over his mouth to gesture at Caspar to, quite frankly, _shut up,_ as heavy footsteps approached them. Linhardt was sure he saw a flash of long strawberry blond hair pulled into a low ponytail. What would Jeritza do if he found them? Kill Linhardt? Likely- but even more likely was that he would slaughter Caspar without hesitation.

They sat silently as the figure passed by them, barely breathing as to not make a sound. It was only then that Linhardt realised just how _close_ they were. He could feel Caspar’s hot breath brushing against the nape of his neck, hairs raising as their arms brushed lightly against one another. His heart thrummed in his chest, beating like a drum, and Caspar must have heard it- or perhaps even felt it- as he placed his hand firmly yet reassuringly on Linhardt’s shoulder to ground him. He felt himself breathe again.

The characteristic clink of Jeritza boots, and the clash of his sword holster against his belt quietened, and after a few extra minutes Linhardt decided that it would be safe for the two to leave the bush. He wasn’t sure how much longer his poor heart could take the close proximity.

“I think the coast is clear.” He announced, shrugging Caspar’s hand off his shoulder and crawling on his hands and knees out of the bush, using a firm tree branch as leverage to hoist himself up. He could hear Caspar following him, expression set in a straight line.

Linhardt felt uneasy, the void emotion on Caspar’s face wasn’t one he recognised, “We barely made it out of that one, eh?” he joked uneasily, head swimming with the memory of Caspar proclaiming his love for him. So long as Caspar didn’t bring _that_ situation up again, everything would be just fine-

“I meant what I said earlier.” Caspar spoke, blue eyes glowing in the moonlight as they firmly settled on Linhardt, who in turn diverted his own eyes. “I’m in love with you- I think I always have been, Lin. I just took me some time apart to realise it.”

Linhardt toyed with the hem of his sleeve, feeling heat rising to his cheeks as he stared at the battle-charred grass at his feet. How he wished that he could hear Caspar say those exact words, but in a different situation. One where they weren’t bound to point swords at each other’s throats, to _kill each other_ for the sake of the greater good. Linhardt scoffed internally, what sort of better world could he create if he didn’t have Caspar with him.

“ _Linhardt- “,_ Caspar’s voice cracked painfully as he spoke, Linhardt remaining deathly silent, “I know that you might not feel the same way but say something- _anything._ Please, I’ve missed you,” Caspar reached both of his hands forwards to grasp Linhardt’s own, “I’ve been so lost without you, so please, come back to the Kingdom with m- “

“I’ve missed you too.” Linhardt broke his silence, turning his head up to look at Caspar. He thought about all those nights he would spend in his bed begging for sleep to overtake him as his mind went into overdrive worrying about where Caspar was, replaying the sound of his carefree laugh, craving the touch of his hand against his own. He looked Caspar dead in the eyes as he spoke, “Even so, I can not return with you, Caspar.”

“You can, it’ll be easy. I promise!” Caspar insisted, panic in his eyes now spreading across the rest of his face and leaking into his voice, the tell-tale squeak from Caspar’s youth returning for a split-second.

“I’m sorry, I can’t.” Caspar was about to protest again, “I think I should go now.” He freed his hands from Caspar’s grip and turned back the way he came. The ‘ _I love you too’_ went unsaid.

* * *

“Not much of a noble’s tea-party, is it? Passing around the same mug of cold Angelica and the same expired ration packet.” Caspar mumbled in between a large bite of said stale bread, before handing it back to Linhardt who took a small bite of the bread with a smile.

“We make do with what we have.” He replied easily, sprawling out across the grass and folding his arms behind his head. “It’s a sort of…make-shift picnic.”

“Wow, romantic.” Caspar chuckled, mimicking Linhardt’s pose from beside him.

Linhardt snorted, looking up at the bright stars littered across the bleak sky, “About as romantic as Hubert’s attempts to court Ferdinand.”

Caspar almost spat out the cold Angelica blend he just sipped, “Did you just say _Hubert-_ the same Hubert who threatened to have Ferdinand murdered in his sleep for speaking badly about Edelgard- is trying to date the guy?” he asked incredulously.

Linhardt blinked slowly, “Have I not updated you on this?”

“No!” Caspar had scooted closer towards Linhardt on his hands and knees to stare down at the other with wide eyes. “We’ve not met up in like,” Caspar counted on his fingers, “three whole moons!”

“Well, there isn’t much else to say. Hubert and Ferdinand have gotten over their differences and are getting along now. Something to do with tea or coffee bringing them closer together.” Linhardt ignored the way Caspar glanced down at their own shared cup of tea. “People grow weary during wartime; they look for someone to keep them company.”

“Is that what I am to you?” Caspar asked after a moment, toying with a cherry blossom petal that landed by his feet.

“No, of course not,” Linhardt chuckled, “although, I certainly am disillusioned with the war at this point.” Linhardt withheld the extra detail that he had been disillusioned with the war before it had even begun.

“Perfect!” Caspar declared, “All the more reason for you to join my side!” He was now standing over Linhardt and stretching his hand out for the other to take.

“Nice try.” Linhardt laughed, remaining on the grass and ignoring Caspar’s outstretched hand in favour of a nice, long nap.

* * *

“Caspar- your arm!” Linhardt hurried towards the other on wobbly feet, his stomach churning at the sight of the blood gushing out of Caspar’s right arm he clutched at.

“H-Hey, Linhardt.” He tried smiling shakily, “Fancy seeing you here.”

“Caspar, just- “, Linhardt groaned as he pulled Caspar into a sitting position on the ground, “shut up and let me heal you, okay?”

“Healing the enemy seems counterproductive.” Caspar commented as he felt warm faith magic pulse throughout his body.

“I’m not deployed right now, so I don’t consider you my enemy.” Linhardt murmured through his concentration as the two leaned against a large tree, cherry-blossoms having bloomed into emerald leaves, and the moon washing a faint glow across both of their skin.

They were silent for a few moments before Caspar spoke again, “Guess who got me.”

“Hm?”

“Guess which general of the Imperial army injured me.” Caspar clarified.

“Oh. This seems like an awfully crude guessing game.” Linhardt managed to say, decisively looking away from the blood still pouring from the other’s wound, Caspar hissing slightly as Linhardt applied too much pressure. “Sorry.” He spoke quietly.

“C’mon, just guess.” Caspar insisted once the sharp pain in his arm numbed a little.

“Okay….” Linhardt thought for a moment, “Hubert?”

“No- but I did see Hubert kiss Ferdinand’s forehead as they marched out which was kinda weird for me to see.” He laughed, “Anyway, it was _fucking Jeritza!”_

“Of course it was.” Linhardt smiled, feeling himself fall into easy conversation with Caspar.

“He got his sword and _wham_! Right through my arm!” Caspar spoke enthusiastically, arms flailing as he spoke.

“Don’t move your arm too much, you’ll reopen the wound.” Linhardt said as he removed his hands from the wound, already feeling an absence from the lack of touch.

Caspar hummed, reaching over to place his hand over Linhardt’s and rubbing smooth circles onto the back of his hand. “Do you remember what I told you that night Jeritza almost caught the two of us all those moons ago?”

Not a day went by where Linhardt _didn’t_ think about that night. “Yes, I remember.”

Caspar squeezed his hand, “I still feel the same. In case you were wondering.”

Linhardt knew he was being selfish, but he wanted to hear it come out of Caspar’s mouth again. Had Jeritza sliced at Caspar’s head rather than his arm, he would have been dead. Either one of them could die at any moment in this damned war, and Linhardt’s heart broke at the thought of him never getting to tell Caspar how he truly felt about him. He was sure Caspar already knew anyway.

“I still love you.” Caspar repeated firmly, voice not shaking this time and a serene smile gracing his face. Linhardt felt like his hope was no longer built on sand, he felt as if maybe the two of them would survive the war and no matter how slight, no matter how unlikely- there was _a chance._

“I love you too.” He replied simply.

Before Linhardt could react, he was pushed back against the tree as Caspar pounced on him. His eyes were glowing brighter than the moon itself.

“Do you mean it?” Caspar whispered; stupid grin plastered on his face.

Linhardt felt the air knocked out of him, feeling breathless at the sight of Caspar’s smile. He nodded, “Yes.”

Caspar wrapped his arms around Linhardt, pulling him into a tight embrace. Linhardt could hear him whisper, “This can’t be real,” over and over again.

“It’s real.” Linhardt laughed. Realistically, this was stupid. A catastrophically terrible idea to confess your love for a soldier of the opposing army, but Linhardt couldn’t find it in himself to care anymore. His heart was beating a mile a minute, and Caspar’s face was so close that he could feel the warmth radiating from his cheeks.

“Can I kiss you?” Caspar spoke quietly, blue eyes mapping over ever crevice of Linhardt’s face as to never forget the moment.

“No.”

“Wh- “, Caspar’s cheeks grew even redder.

“I’m only jesting, come here.” Linhardt murmured as he leaned in to bridge the gap between him and Caspar, plush lips sliding between rougher ones. A spark lit up inside of him, and Linhardt felt every nagging doubt that ate away at him disappearing. All he knew was Caspar’s lips, his voice, his warmth.

Caspar was the first to break away, only pulling back ever so slightly, their noses still touching, to whisper against Linhardt’s lips, “Come back with me.”

Linhardt ignored the hand Caspar so desperately reached out to him, instead pressing his lips back against Caspar’s.

* * *

Linhardt’s world crumbled around him, it collapsed in on itself as he marched with shaking legs towards Caspar, who was sat by their usual tree under the light of the moon. He had a bright smile on his face as if there wasn’t a war raging on and everything was alright in the world.

“Linhardt!” He held his arms wide open for an embrace when he saw the other approaching. Linhardt pushed his hands away. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“We can’t keep doing this.” He couldn’t bear to look at Caspar.

“Can’t keep doing this…” Caspar repeated heavily, “ _Why?_ We both love each other, don’t we?” his voice raised as he continued to speak, “So what’s the issue?”

“ _What’s the issue?”_ Caspar’s eyes appeared angry but Linhardt could see the pain laced underneath, “The issue is that we’re on opposing ends of the war!” Linhardt shouted, and Caspar stepped back, “The issue is that this _was bound to fail from the moment war was declared._ ”

“No- you said we’d never fight! “

Linhardt took in a deep breath, wishing that their past idealistic naivety was something real. “Hubert found the letters you sent me, Caspar. He told me if we don’t break it off now, he’d kill you.”

“I can take him, Lin!” Caspar pushed, trying to grab Linhardt’s hands, the heartbreak evident in his voice.

Linhardt let Caspar hold his hands, it was selfish of him, but he told himself that this would be the last time, “He’s right, Caspar.”

“ _He isn’t!”_

Linhardt pulled his hands away, using every ounce of resolve he had to do so, “The next battle is at Fort Merceus and I will be stationed there. You know exactly what that means.”

“I’d never kill you.” Caspar was crying now, hot tears streaming down his cheeks.

“If Dimitri gave you the order, you’d have no choice.”

“I- “, Caspar diverted his gaze.

“The next time we meet will be on the battlefield, Caspar.” Linhardt smiled sadly, reaching to wipe a tear from Caspar’s cheeks. “Goodbye.”

“Wait, _don’t go_!” Caspar reached for Linhardt desperately, but he had already left.

* * *

Merceus was going up in flames, Linhardt thought it was laughable really, how the so-called iron fortress went down so easily. He leaned his weight fully against the cold stone wall behind him, taking in a heaving breath as the flames surrounding him lit the dark sky up.

He didn’t try to stand; it would be of no use. His leg had a deep wound spiralling from his thigh to ankle, and a stab wound piercing his lungs, making it difficult to even breathe. He couldn’t get up even if he wanted to. Even so, Linhardt thought rather cynically that he didn’t have any reason to want to get up. Even if he somehow made it out, where would he go? Who did he have? Ferdinand, Bernadetta- they were all long gone. And _Caspar?_ Linhardt severed the tie between them so harshly he didn’t even know if there was a single thread left connecting them anymore.

Fate seemed to have a different, terribly cruel and twisted idea. Linhardt stared ahead with dull eyes as Caspar slowly approached him, the axe he dragged along the cobbled ground deeply reminiscent of the way Caspar hauled his still too heavy axe along at Garreg Mach five years ago.

“Hey.” He smiled sadly, deep blue eyes reflecting the flames which danced around them as he stared into Linhardt’s dull eyes.

“Hi.” Linhardt replied, suppressing a cough he was sure was seaming full of blood. “I didn’t think I would see you here.” His head was swimming, tired eyes noting the sizeable gash on Caspar’s forehead.

“I was ordered to get the stragglers.” Caspar came to a stop in front of Linhardt, he noticed the blood pouring from Linhardt’s chest. “Lin- “, his voice cracked, “your chest, you nee-“

“Surely by now I would have thought that you’d have given up.” Linhardt laughed as Caspar retracted the hand reaching out to him, instead rubbing at his eyes.

“I-“

“Put me out of my misery, Cas.” Linhardt smiled sadly, gasping for breath as he clutched the gaping wound in his chest, “If you don’t kill me, the flames will get the both of us.”

“ _You promised!”_ Caspar cried, hand grasping tightly around the battered handle of his blood-rusted axe, “You promised we’d never have to fight!”

“And never did have to fight, did we?” Linhardt replied, his heart wrenching as he spoke, “I told you, I’m clever.”

Caspar laughed, tears still falling, “The cleverest.” He repeated. Linhardt figured that Caspar must have realised that there was no saving him. “I don’t want to kill you.”

“I’d rather die at the hands of the man I love rather than suffocate to death.” Linhardt coughed into his palm, vision growing blurry at the sight of blood spluttered across his hand.

“Lin- _we hardly got any time together_ \- “, Caspar cried, covering his face with one hand as crouched onto his knees so he could take one of Linhardt’s hand in his own scarred one. “It isn’t _fair!_ ”

“War isn’t fair.” Linhardt heaved in another breath, “Quickly Caspar, I fear I don’t have very long left.” His hand shook in Caspar’s. Caspar looked up at Linhardt, mouth quivering but with something akin to resolve in his tired eyes. “I’m suffering.”

He nodded, standing and taking hold of his axe, “I love you, Lin. I’ll finally let you sleep now.”

“Thank you, Caspar.” Linhardt took one last look at Caspar, the man he _loved,_ before closing his eyes.

Right up until the very end, it was Caspar who would reach his hand out towards Linhardt. So with his dying breath, Linhardt thought it was only fair for him to lift his shaky hand out to reach for Caspar’s retreating form, before letting it drop to his knees.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! i will now go back to writing exclusively fluff
> 
> comments and kudos always appreciated! :D
> 
> (come say hi on twitter @manateequeem )


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